Issues & Advice

No matter what level swimmers reach, if they consistently do their best when it counts, then they are mentally tough and champions. This is a tough list to compose. There are probably 50 or more good candidates for the top five spots, but this is my list. My recollection and knowledge of elite swimmers dates […]

We focused much more on coaching the fundamentals, things like blocking techniques, leverage steps, finishing blocks and carrying out fakes. The 2018 season was the most memorable season of my coaching career. This was without a doubt my best season to date. We finished the regular season 5-2. However, we went undefeated in the playoffs! We […]

The challenges of game-like activities and the problem-solving situations they present are not only fun, but they help players develop to a higher level of soccer.  Last month, a Responsible Sports Parent wrote to our panel of experts to ask: “I coach a soccer team made up of 13 and 14 year old girls. I have a couple […]

Patience may be a virtue, but it’s one that can be tough to come by. Especially in today’s world where everyone wants results now. I know I’ve talked about this many times before but one of the problems fastpitch softball players face in our “instant-everything” world is an expectation that they can fix major issues, or go […]

Goal Getting is based on what a young athlete can achieve through effort. Goal Setting is based on win/loss types of outcomes. While it makes intuitive sense that effective goals for fourth graders differ from those made by juniors in high school, it’s important for parents and coaches to understand how to help youth athletes […]

In the off-season, Daly recommends a full-body routine like this one three to four days a week, while reducing overall swimming volume. Swimming is a full-body cardio workout. But it’s still a smart idea to take your training out of the water to build power, speed and muscular balance, says Dan Daly of Equinox. “A dry-land, resistance training program is important for […]

By becoming aware of what we are giving our attention to we can start to become attuned to whether it is healthy or unhealthy for us. Resilience is the quality of recovering quickly from failure and setback and not only returning to whatever level you have already achieved but actually using the adversity as an opportunity to […]

We play the games because anything can happen once the game starts. All the athletes are people, which means we can never predict how they will perform. The environment impacts performance. Agility is probably one of the most difficult things to coach, and it’s one of the things most susceptible to hype and guruisms. At […]

No matter what the circumstances, no matter how far behind, no matter how much bad fortune has come their way, winners play every point as if they have a chance to win the match. Two decisions, above all others, await every coach. The first is who the program will recruit to play on the team. The second […]

Whether your child makes the team or not, do not let them feel like they have disappointed you in anyway as this can affect their self-esteem. There is no question that tryout season can be both an exciting and stressful time for hockey players and their parents. All players will be working extremely hard to […]